As I stepped out of the classroom, my mind was racing. Why was I back at the academy? Why now? I was so close—just a step away—from uncovering the deepest secrets of magic and the origins of the world.
I could feel the answers on the tip of my tongue, the truth about the very fabric of existence within reach. But just as I was about to grasp it, the opportunity was stolen from me, ripped away like a cruel joke.
And now, here I was, back at the beginning. Not the beginning of the world I so desperately wanted to understand, but the start of my journey—back to square one.
The same cobbled stone hallways, the same oakwood doors, and the same buzzing chatter of young mages eager to learn. It all felt suffocating, like I'd been trapped in a loop I couldn't escape.
You might think this was some great opportunity to start fresh, to fix all my past mistakes, save the world, and emerge as a hero. But life isn't a fairy tale, and it's rarely that simple.
What do you think life is about? Regretting your past? Wishing for a chance to rewrite it? Pining over what could've been if only you'd had the courage to act? That kind of thinking, my friend, is a trap.
Dwelling on past failures only blinds you to the good you've accomplished. It twists your view until all you see is regret.
Life isn't about moving on while it drags you behind like a reluctant passenger. It's about making choices. It's about moving forward, even when every step feels like trudging through quicksand.
Mistakes are inevitable—they're a part of living. What matters is how you rise from them.
But back to my predicament—why was I here? Whoever sent me back bypassed every magical defense I'd painstakingly crafted, every temporal resistance spell I'd etched into my very soul.
It was a feat so improbable that even I couldn't fathom how it had been done. Yet, here I was, proof of their success.
Still, something felt off. If their goal was to erase me entirely or make me forget everything, they hadn't done a very thorough job. My memories were fragmented, disjointed, but certain truths lingered.
I remembered being regressed. I remembered losing everything. And I remembered being furious. If they wanted me to forget, they failed.
Then it hit me—where were my magical shields? Where were my resistance spells? My knowledge of magic, the essence of who I'd become, had been stripped away.
Years of effort, gone in an instant. My head throbbed as I realized I didn't even know how to perform a basic incantation anymore.
It was humiliating. Worse, it was terrifying.
Lost in thought, I didn't notice the students around me filing out of the classroom. I barely remembered where my next class was supposed to be.
The hallways blurred together as I walked aimlessly, my mind a whirlpool of confusion and frustration.
"Hey!" someone called, breaking through my haze.
I ignored it, too absorbed in my thoughts.
"Hey, you!" the voice repeated, louder this time.
Before I could respond, my foot caught on an uneven patch of grass near the academy courtyard. "Thud!" I landed face-first on the ground, my pride taking an even greater hit than my body.
"Great," I muttered, pushing myself up slowly. "Just great."
Lost in my misery, I heard footsteps approaching. A hand extended into my view—a slender hand, roughened by scars yet oddly delicate.
I looked up to find a girl standing over me. Her amber eyes locked onto mine, an intense, otherworldly color that seemed out of place in this part of the world.
Despite the worry etched on her face, she radiated a calm presence.
"You okay?" she asked, her voice soft but steady.
My gaze traveled upward to her golden hair, which gleamed like sunlight. Something about her seemed… familiar.
Had we met before? Before my regression? In the distant future? I couldn't place her, but the sense of familiarity gnawed at me.
"Hey," she said again, tilting her head slightly. "Can you stand?"
Still disoriented, I took her hand, letting her pull me to my feet. Her grip was firm but gentle.
"You good?" she asked, brushing some dirt off my shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Yeah," I replied, though I wasn't entirely sure that was true.
After a moment of silence, she chuckled. "That was quite the fall. You might want to watch where you're going next time."
"Noted," I said dryly, brushing off the dirt from my pants. I tried to sound nonchalant, but my face burned with embarrassment.
"I'm Emily," she said, her lips curling into a small smile. Her expression was friendly, yet her eyes studied me with an almost piercing curiosity. "And you are…?"
"I'm…" I began, only to realize I had no idea what my name was. My heart sank. The person—or force—that regressed me had been thorough enough to erase even that. Of all the things to forget…
"Hey, you alright?" she asked, her brow furrowing as she leaned in slightly, her gaze concerned.
Improvisation wasn't my strong suit, but I had to say something. Anything. "My name is… your LOVE," I blurted out.
The moment the words left my mouth, I wanted to crawl into a hole. Why, brain? Why?! My face turned crimson as Emily blinked at me in shock.
For a brief, agonizing moment, time seemed to freeze.
Then, to my utter humiliation, she burst out laughing. Her laughter was bright and melodic, ringing through the courtyard like wind chimes.
I couldn't tell if she was laughing at me or simply amused, but it was infectious. Despite my embarrassment, I found myself chuckling softly.
"Wow," she said between laughs, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "That was… unexpected. But seriously, what's your name?"
I hesitated, my mind racing for a way to salvage what little dignity I had left. "I'll tell you next time we meet," I said finally, managing a weak smile.
Before she could press further, I mumbled a quick "thanks" and bolted toward the dormitories.
As I fled, I could feel her gaze lingering on me, her expression thoughtful. "My love, huh?" she murmured to herself, the words tinged with amusement but there was a hint of sadness.